Detroit Tigers' Ian Kinsler watches the ball go over the line for a three-run homer in the ninth inning to beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Saturday in Houston.AP Photo

HOUSTON -- Ian Kinsler had a shot at breaking Saturday's game open for the Detroit Tigers with the bases loaded in the seventh inning. He came up just short.

Two innings later, he got another chance to play hero. This time, he didn't waste it.

With the game on the line, Kinsler entered the batter's box with two outs in the ninth inning and launched a three-run homer to rally the Tigers past the Astros, 4-3, in Houston.

"After that bases-loaded situation, Kinsler wanted to get some payback," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "He had a good at-bat, and obviously a huge hit."

Trailing 2-1, Kinsler took two straight balls from Jerome Williams before turning on a 93 mph fastball and sending it clear across the field at Minute Maid Park.

He made a home-run gesture with his hand when he rounded first base, and pumped his fist as he trotted around second. When he got to third, he slapped hands with third-base coach Dave Clark before greeting his teammates at home.

"It was awesome," Tigers starter Max Scherzer said. "We knew he was gonna get a hit, and to watch that ball go over the line, we were all pumped."

It marked the second career go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later for Kinsler, but -- more importantly -- it added life to a lethargic Tigers' offense, which had squandered a handful of scoring chances the past two games.

"The last couple days, we've been hitting the ball hard and we've hit a lot of balls at guys," Kinsler said. "But we couldn't really get the big hit."

Kinsler came close to a big hit in the seventh when he lifted a shallow fly ball to left with two outs and the bases loaded. It appeared it might fall in and score two runs, maybe three, to give the Tigers a late lead. But L.J. Hoes sprinted to make a diving catch and end the inning.

"I had an opportunity and didn't get it done," Kinsler said. "So it was nice to come up again with an opportunity."

Kinsler's 10th home run this season was arguably his biggest hit in his first season with the Tigers. And it was clearly the biggest hit of the game for the Tigers, who struggled to do much of anything against Houston lefty Brett Oberholtzer.

Prior to Kinsler's three-run shot, Detroit had left eight runners on base and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position, spoiling Scherzer's dominate start in which he struck out a season-high 13 while giving up just two runs in seven innings.

Making a spot start in place of Houston's ace Dallas Keuchel, Oberholtzer limited the Tigers to one run and five hits. Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, the meat of Detroit's star-studded lineup, went 0 for 8 -- a day after they went 0 for 9.

"Sometimes the heart of the lineup is going to scuffle and we need the other guys to step up," Ausmus said. "Kins provided the big boost."

Kinsler has been red-hot at the plate as of late, hitting .433 with 14 RBIs over the past 14 games, including an eight-game hitting streak during which he's 17 for 36. His seven-game multi-hit streak hasn't been matched since Frank Bolling in 1960.

"He's been on a tear as of late," Scherzer said. "So it's fitting for him to get up in that situation and deliver."